Sheffield brings communities and partners together as Homewards marks three years of progress
This week, Homewards continued its series of events to mark three years since the programme began, with Sheffield hosting the second celebration.
Partners in Sheffield came together to reflect on local progress over the past three years, celebrating shared successes while reconnecting, strengthening relationships and building a renewed sense of purpose.
Monday’s event also provided a chance to pause and reflect as the programme moves beyond the halfway point of its fiveyear mission and we start to think about what’s next for the years ahead.
Local partners, organisations, council representatives and people with lived experience of homelessnessgathered at the Israac community centre for the celebration. Attendees heard from a range of speakers, including the Founder of Reach Up Youth, Safiya Saeed, Jack Kidder, Responsible Business Manager at Henry Boot Developments, Kate Josephs, Chief Executive of Sheffield City Council, and Leader of the Council, Fran Belbin.
A highlight of the day was a performance from Choir with No Name, where people with lived experience of homelessness came together to share their voices through song.
Reflecting on the importance of collaboration, the Founder of Reach Up Youth, Safiya Saeed, said:
“Homewards challenges us to stop thinking about homelessness as something inevitable and instead asks us to work together to prevent it before it happens. No single organisation can solve homelessness alone – real change comes when we work together. Sheffield’s greatest strength is its people. We’re a city that cares. A city that steps up when it matters. We believe everyone deserves dignity, opportunity and a place to call home.”
Building on this shared commitment, the event highlighted examples of how partners across Sheffield are working more closely together to take earlier, more preventative approaches. This includes initiatives such as Upstream, which supports young people in schools who may be at risk of homelessness, a Family Link Workerwho is based within Meadows Nursery, and tenancy advice and advocacy support at Firvale Community Hub and Reach Up Youth.
Together, these efforts are helping reach people earlier and provide support within their communities before challenges escalate, whilst also deepening understanding of Sheffield’s diverse needs.
Looking ahead, conversations focused on maintaining momentum, strengthening community support and responding more effectively to regional and racial inequalities, with ideas on how to achieve this being brought to life through live illustrations by Myro Doodles.
Sheffield is building on this progress by developing housing solutions, strengthening early support and working closely with communities across the city. By keeping collaboration and prevention at the heart of the work, partners are showing how joined-up, community-led approaches can help make homelessness rare, brief and unrepeated.
